Fire-escape.



Y No: 720.996. P-,ATENTED FEB. 17, 1903.

'I'. B. BARBER.

PIRE BSGAPB.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1902. H0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

A TTOHN E YS.

m: Nouns Pinzas cn., PHnIo-lrrviofwunnmmn. n. c.

PATENTED FEB. 17, 1903.

T. B. BARBER..

PIRE ESCAPE. a.PPLIGA'1I0N FILED MAY a1, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

X0 IODBL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THURSTON B. BARBER, OF NORVVICH, CONNECTICUT.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION formingpartrof Letters Patent No. 720,996, dated February 17, 1903.

Application filed May 31, 1962.

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnunsron B. BARBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county-of NewrLondon and State of Connecticut, have made certain new and useful Improvement-s in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specication.

My invention is an im provementin re-escapes, and has for an object to provide a simple construction which can be supported upon the top of a building and Will include a ladder which can belowered automatically by means of devices operated by an occupant of the building wheueverthe ladder is required; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as Will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the device as in use, the ladder Ybeing elevated; and Fig. 2 is a similar view, Vthe ladder being lowered to the ground. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the devices for supporting the ladder, and Fig. I illustrates in detail a feature of the construction of the ladder.

In operation I support the lire-escape devices upon the top of the building Gratl other suitable elevated point above the locations of the persons who may desire to escape from the building in case` of lire, and the improved apparatus includes a ladder A, a carrier B, a frame C, on which the carrier B journals, a detent D, and other devices,which will be described.

The carrier B has a shaft B', journaled at" C in bearings in the frame C and adapted/atj This carrer B preferably includes end plates E andf E', the former being provided with ratchet! h to receive the crank-handle B2.

teeth c and the projections or arms F, preferably three in number, extending radially and provided at their outer ends with notches f for the shafts A' at the opposite ends of the` serai no. 109,711. No man.)

shaft Avis locked in its notches f by means of plates. G, having openings G', receiving -the shaft A and bolted at Gr2 to the arm F, (see Figs. 3 and 3%) so the plates G may be'detachably secured to the arm F in order to fasten one end of the'ladder to the carrier Whendesired. IVhen in the adjustment of parts shown in Fig. 3 the ladder A is rolled on its upper shaft, which maybe effected by removingthe crank-handle B2 from the shaft B and applying it to the upper shaft A of the ladder, the roll of ladderis loosely held bythe seating of its upper shaft A in the open notches f of the upper projections F. (See Fig. 3.) In such position the carrier and the ladder Will be held by the engagement ofthe pawl D2 with the ratchet-teeth e of the disk E. If now the detent D be released by pulling on a line H, which may extend downwardly, preferably Within the house, in convenient reach from the dierent Windows of the building, the detent will be broken downward on its joint between the arm D and the pawl D2,

the carrier will be released and Will rock forward by the Weight of the roll of ladder, and such roll Will drop from the arms F, support- ."ing it, and fall to the ground, unrolling as it descends and affording a convenient means bywhich the occupants of the building may descend in safety to the ground.

In order to automatically sound an alarm and signal to both the lire department and the police department, I provide for sounding a signal by the adjustment of the parts to drop the ladder, this being preferably effected by the ladder as it falls and by means of a circuit-closer I, contacting Witha plate I and arranged to be' pressed-intosuch contact by the ladder as the latter falls. The Wires c' and t" may be `suitably extended to form the crcuitand includesignals at any desired point. As shown the plate I is arranged below the plate I and the latter below the carrier B, in position to be sprung IOC downward into contact with the plate I by the ladder as the latter falls from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

After the apparatus has been used and the ladder has been lowered to the position shown in Fig. 2 it maybe readjusted to the position shown in Fig. 1, ready for subsequent use, by manipulating the pawl or detent back to the position shownin Figs. l and 3, then turning the carrier B to bring the arm F shown at l in Fig. 3 to the position of the arm F shown at 2 in said Fig. 3, when the arm F shown at 3 in Fig. 3 will assume the position of the arm F shown at l in Fig. 3, and the crankhandle may be applied to wind the ladder up, as shown in Fig. 3, and the locking-blocks G be applied, as shown in Fig. 3, when the device is again in position for use.

The construction is simple, can be readily operated, will efciently serve its purpose, will aid persons in escaping from a burning building, will automatically sound a signal to the re department and police department, aud in case a burglar or other wrongdoer should seek to avail himself of the apparatus v as a means of escape the police will be notified and would at once be called to the scene.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as4 new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The fire-escape herein described consisting of the carrier having projecting arms or supports for the shaft of the ladder, a support in which said carrier may rock, detent mechanism for holding the carrier from rocking, and the ladder provided at its opposite ends with shafts to seat in the projections or arms of the carrier, and means whereby the shaft at one end of the ladder may be held when the shaft at the other end ofthe ladder is discharged from the carrier by the rocking of the latter substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a fire-escape of the rocking carrier having arms or projections for supporting and securing the ladder, the ladder secured at one end to the carrier and detachably supported at its other end by the carrier, whereby the rocking of the carrier may discharge such end of the ladder, and a circuit-closer supported below the carrier in position for operation by the ladder as the latter adjustsin position for use substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the rocking carrier having an end plate provided with ratchetteeth, and provided withv projecting arms F having. notches f and locking-plates G for application to said arms, the detent D having arm D', pawl D2 and spring D3 for operation in connection with the ratchet-teeth of the carrier, and the ladder having the opposite end shafts for connection with Ithe carrier, substantially as set forth.

Ll. A {ire-escape comprising a ladder, and a rocking carrier provided with devices rocking with the carrier and arranged to support the roller at end of the ladder and to discharge the same in certain adjustments and also to secure the end of the ladder opposite the rolled-up end, substantially as set forth.

THURSTON B. BARBER.

Witnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMoN, PERRY B. TURPIN. 

